Top 3 mobile cyber security threats to businesses

Top 3 mobile cyber security threats to businesses

Understandably, cyber security is a prominent concern for businesses, with technological integration meaning that sensitive information is always vulnerable to threats. Yet perhaps one of the more overlooked forms of cyber security is for mobile devices, and with more and more businesses allowing smartphones and tablets to be used for work, it has become essential for companies to have.

As such, it is important for both those with careers in technology and mobile users in general to have an understanding of possible mobile cyber threats to ensure their information remains safe.

Mobile devices can contain even more sensitive info than computers, and thus need to be protected. As ESET security expert Lukas Stefanko points out in a interview with We Live Security, businesses should treat the security of mobile devices as equally important as that of other technology such as computers, if not more so.

"Remember that smartphones and tablets tend to contain larger amounts of personal data – and credentials – than computers," he notes.

"Users should take the same security measures for their mobile devices that they have implemented on their computers – I mean using a quality security solution and having a backup of all their important data."

With that in mind, here are the top three mobile threats every business should know about.

1. MalwareMalware, often mistakenly downloaded through a mobile app, can have serious affects on the hosting device. According to a Mobile Threat report by the Pulse Secure Mobile Threat Center, in 2014 there were almost a million different apps containing malware on the market, and the strains are only increasing. These fakes are even infiltrating big stores like Google Play, and can allow the developers to access info stored on the device and infect it with Trojans.

2. PhishingPhishing involves the use of scams that obtain personal information from victims. They can often take the form of fake account verification messages, tricking the mobile user into revealing usernames and passwords for things like online banking apps. Although a lot of phishing scams can be financially motivated, perpetrators can also compromise a business's sensitive information and illegally distribute or ransom it.

3. EmployeesFinally, the employees themselves present one of the biggest mobile security threats, if often inadvertently. With a 2015 ESET survey showing that 40 per cent of businesses allow workers to use their own devices, education is essential to prevent them from leaking information or downloading harmful software.

Therefore when it comes to executive recruitment, hiring someone with a good understanding of mobile cyber security can go a long way to protecting business from mobile threats in the future.

If you need the right team to help you grow your organisation, don’t hesitate to get in contact and together we can explore how Ethos BeathChapman can help.

About Ethos BeathChapman, EBC:

We're a global group of executive recruitment experts in Australia, Asia and EMEA, with a broader network beyond. We connect exceptional people to exceptional companies. For more information: www.ethosbc.com